Benched Dent Ends Up Playing

Unaccustomed to watching the beginning of games from the bench, the Bear defensive end was restless Sunday when he didn`t start against Philadelphia.

``I couldn`t stand up and watch it. It was aggravating me, knowing I was well enough to play,`` he said. ``I went to the bench where I couldn`t see much of what was going on.``

He didn`t sit still long. He entered the game on the Eagles` third possession.

Bear coach Mike Ditka had insisted Thursday that Dent wouldn`t play in the game after spraining his back lifting weights and missing a practice. The story Ditka left to be read between the lines was that he wasn`t satisfied with Dent`s reasoning for skipping practice.

Ditka was again cryptic when asked why Dent played Sunday. ``He`s one of our 45 players. He`s got a uniform. He`s allowed to play.``

Dent doesn`t think he did anything wrong to anger Ditka. The fact he played with a back that hurt him during the game should show his heart is in the right place, he said.

``I couldn`t do some spin moves as well as usual because of the back. Trying to move like that bothered me,`` he said.

``I felt bad sitting out. When I got in I wanted to make something happen, like I always want to.``

It took a while, but in the second half Dent made it happen. He forced Eagles` running back Keith Byars to fumble in the third quarter. The Bears took over at the Philadelphia 33 and marched to their only touchdown.

The next time the Eagles had the ball, Dent had a grasp on quarterback Ron Jaworski`s leg when he threw a pass that safety Dave Duerson picked off. That began a drive that ended with a 23-yard field goal by Kevin Butler.

Although the Bear defense played well, Dent was dissatisfied with the number of times the Eagles converted on third down (11 of 20).

``When they do that well on third down, our defense isn`t ticking that well,`` Dent said. ``We can`t give teams so many second opportunities. We`ve got to make those plays.

``Mike Richardson made two big interceptions, even though he fumbled the one. When a team picks on you like the Eagles picked on Richardson, always throwing to his side, it`s good to come back the way he did.``

Dent thinks he can come back after being benched. He doesn`t expect it will be hard convincing Ditka the team has its best chance with him playing.

``I guess he thought it would be better today for me to be in there,``

Dent said. ``I did nothing wrong. If I`m hurt, I`m hurt. It was punishment enough for me to sit and watch when I knew I felt good enough to play. I wanted to be out there with my friends.``